


Chai Tea Lattes

by ninasensei



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha Victor Nikiforov, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Omega Katsuki Yuuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25970638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninasensei/pseuds/ninasensei
Summary: Yuuri finds himself suddenly alone in Detroit without Phichit at his side. As he walks to his dance lesson with Minako, he suddenly finds himself following a scent that smells just like his mother's chai tea lattes.Only to find the source of the scent.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 2
Kudos: 145





	Chai Tea Lattes

Yuuri remains silent as he opens the front door of his apartment, moving his body through the door frame. He keeps his hand on the doorknob as he moves, only to pull it closed behind him. He turns his body, key easily sliding through his fingers as he reaches over and locks the door. He tugs out the key, hand reaching back up to reflexively test the knob. He twists and feels satisfied when it doesn’t turn. Unable to stop himself, he presses the toe of his shoe into the bottom of the door and watches as the door remains firmly in place. Realizing his content, he’s quick to pull his foot back and adjust the backpack on his shoulder. He can’t help but click his tongue a bit at himself, realizing that his actions might be a bit odd. However, you can never be too sure. He just wants to be more safe than sorry. He can only presume.

He turns away from the door and can’t help but bring his hand up to massage at his shoulder. It’s still aching, and Yuuri is starting to suspect that he may have hurt himself a little more than he thought. Having had to catch up with his practice, Minako had been pushing him to make up for the time he had lost. He didn’t mind. Maybe it was because he had missed so much time or Minako understood that she always had to push him a little harder. He was eager to learn and to improve, after all. Minako was one of the only people in the world that seemed to understand that

The omega had taken a week off for his heat. As a result, he had missed a week of practice and routine. As much as Yuuri hated missing his ballet lessons, Minako had insisted that he couldn’t help it. It was his biology, after all. He would just have to make up for lost time once it was over.

However, forgoing time in the dance studio to lay in his nest all day seemed little reason to miss imperative lessons. Ever since he had moved to Detroit, it seemed like his heats had become more of burden than an opportunity to relax. His heats served as a distraction from his life. Besides, it wasn’t like he had anyone to spend them with. Even if deep down he craved someone special to spend them with.

If he saw them as a break, then perhaps he would be able to get over the fact that he was desperately lonely. Being alone during such an imperative part of his existence and his role as an omega had begun to weigh more heavily on him recently. While he didn’t understand why he was so bothered by it now, it didn’t stop the deep, pulsing ache in his chest. He was getting older, meaning time was passing without a glance to what he wanted or what he had hoped to do. More and more of his friends, neighbors, and family were meeting their mates and having families of their own. In Hatsetsu, Yuuko had met Takeshi at a ridiculously young age. Since then, the people around Yuuri seemed to be meeting the loves of their lives.

Which also meant that Yuuri was being left alone. Without a mate of his own.

Yuuri shook his head. He swallowed the lump in his throat, turning away from his door and taking a step away from it fully. His feet began to carry him down the hallway of his apartment building. He couldn’t focus on his own inner turmoil right now. He had a practice to get to, and Minako wasn’t going to just let him wallow in his own loneliness the entire time. They had a recital, and Yuuri still had plenty of catching up to do. She had been talking about it for weeks, preparing all the dancers and getting everything ready, down to the last meticulous detail. This also meant that she was going to push harder to ensure that Yuuri was ready. Minako had always pushed harder when she was impatient or when she had to put in her own overtime. While she understood that this setback wasn’t under Yuuri’s control, she was still unhappy with being unable to spend evenings with her friends at the bar. Instead, she would have to worry whether the recital was going to be a success or not.

Climbing down the stairwell and into the small lobby of the building, Yuuri took a glance at the mailboxes along the adjacent wall. He would have to remember to pick up his mail when he got home from the studio. He had been neglecting to do so for the past few days. Besides, his expected package was on its way. He was hoping that it would be waiting for him when he got home after practice—he had been looking forward to the takoyaki maker his mother had sent him the link to. It had been ages since he had the pleasure of eating homemade takoyaki. When he gushed about his recent splurge to his mother, she had been sweet enough to send him a bag of batter and her own recipe.

A pleasant shiver ran down Yuuri’s spine and he swallowed the sudden wave of saliva that filled his mouth. It had been ages since he had real, authentic Japanese home cooking. Even longer since he had his mother’s homemade dishes. While she wasn’t here to make it for him, he was still excited and grateful. All he knew is that he was going to take the upcoming opportunity to teach himself to make himself one of his favorite street foods.

_Now, if I can convince her to text me her katsudon recipe, I can live another day._

With that thought in mind, Yuuri made a mental note to do so. His mother had been hesitant in the past to send him the recipe in the past, because she knew that he was in Detroit for a specific reason: to further his dancing career. He also had an extensive track record of going overboard with his eating habits if no one was around to monitor him. Typically, that had been his mother and then Phichit to keep him in line. However, with his mother back in Japan and Phichit in Europe with his boyfriend, there was no one around to watch him.

He would have to make sure to monitor himself. He would have to take it upon himself to eat the way he had to, rather than relying on other people to make sure he remained good. Even if that meant never looking at sticky rice, runny egg, and crispy pork. Not particularly in that order.

Yuuri pressed open the building’s front door, footing careful as he stepped down the stairs and let the door close behind him. The ground was wet with melting snow, but it was still chilly outside. Not cold enough for the snow to stick, but they still had a few weeks until winter was officially upon them. The local weatherman had said that there was another cold front approaching, so it was only a matter of time before another blanket of snow decided to cover them. Yuuri was just happy that he remembered to grab his thicker coat. He pulled down the puffy sleeves over his fingers, snuggling into the nylon as he began to walk down the sidewalk.

The street was strangely emptier than usual. He supposed it might have been because of the cold. It could have also been because it was a Friday, a few hours before the afternoon rush home began. Many people in the area also had Fridays and Saturdays off rather than just the weekends like they did back in Japan. It had been a little odd to Yuuri at first, but now he could just shrug it off. He moved further down the sidewalk.

Things in the States were certainly more different than they had been in his home country. In Japan, he always was in a rush, busy with his life. Dancing, helping his family run the onsen, going to school as a full-time student. It was full and he always had very little free time to himself. He had gotten used to it that way. However, here in Detroit, the pace seemed more relaxed—Americans seemed to revel in their ability to just do nothing and enjoy their time. His American friends noticed how different he was; how he always was in a rush. Yuuri pushed himself harder, worked longer, and was just more eager to try to improve himself. He was just motivated to get to where he wanted to be, he had reasoned. Yet, in the back of his mind, he found himself starting to agree with them.

He had something to prove. At least, he had something to prove to himself.

Back in Japan, secondary gender was a big deal. It was an important part of one’s identity. So much, in fact, that there was a national database. Once someone presented, they were legally required to register themselves into this database. Education was shaped around one’s dynamic. The economy revolved around the appeal of products to a specified gender. Society was structured around the ideals that traditionalists had about secondary genders and their roles. A person’s gender determined their fate, and the majority of Japan had seemed to accept that. They were an organized society with a set of rules. Many people were willing to comply with those rules.

In Hasetsu, they were known as a primarily beta township. Yuuri’s mother, father, and sister were all betas. All of Yuuri’s childhood friends and companions had been betas. His neighbor, the man who ran the ramen shop down the street, and even the local fisherman was a beta. It had been a huge surprise when Yuuri had presented as an omega.

People had talked. He was different than everyone else. While that hadn’t been the primary source of contention, especially when he had registered himself to the national index, it was a large part of why everyone had begun to treat him so differently. He was a lower tier in the eyes of his country and his people. While his mother had been extremely excited about the possibility of Yuuri finding an alpha, someone to take care of him, to mate with him, Yuuri couldn’t find the same excitement inside of him. To the rest of Japan, he wasn’t seen as a human with desires and dreams of his own. He was someone who would wound up as a mated, submissive omega to a successful, dominant alpha. A baby-making housewife who would submit because it was in his nature to do so.

That’s what made Yuuri the angriest.

He didn’t want to be a submissive omega. He didn’t want to be bound by the roles that his country thought would suit him the best. He wanted to be taken seriously as a competitor, as a dancer. He wanted to be someone who was seen more than what his biology had the ability to do. He wasn’t just an omega who could attract alphas and bear their children. He was more than his scent.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the way it was in Japan. As a result, he began to seriously consider what his options were, what options he could pursue. After weeks of contemplation, research, and running to Phichit for help, he ended up leaving the country with Minako to the United States. Minako had always had the dream of running off to America to start a dance studio there and to have the opportunity to teach on a more international scale. When she had offered Yuuri a place in her studio, with the promise of the possibility of exposure, Yuuri knew he wasn’t going to get another opportunity like that. His passion for dance had been hard to ignore as well. Minako had told him that she saw something in him that reminded her of what she had been like when she was younger. She didn’t care that he was an omega, either. He was a dancer. That’s all there was to it.

When he made it to the United States, Yuuri immediately realized that secondary genders didn’t seem to matter as much as they did back in Japan. He hadn’t been segregated by dynamic at the airport, and the taxi drivers didn’t ask him what he was. They simply asked where he was going. In his dance classes, he was surrounded by alphas, betas, and omegas. Men, women, and people of all other identities. He was accepted for who he was. It didn’t matter to anyone what his body allowed him to do. He was simply another dancer who was trying to make it.

Of course, people still knew what he was. He had always been told that he had a certain quality about him.

“You always smell so inviting, Yuuri!” Phichit had told him, a teasing grin on his face as they had been warming up on the ground one day.

That was all that really mattered, apparently. That was just fine with Yuuri.

A harsh, cold wind blew by Yuuri and ran its fingers through his hair, ruffling it. The omega felt an intense shiver run through his body, pulling his arms and hands closer to his chest. His fingers reached up to bring the fluffy ends of his good closer to his cheeks. The wind only seemed to get colder, the air around him suddenly frosty. Yuuri lifted his eyes to the sky above, irises roaming over the gray and cloudy afternoon sky. He briefly felt the flutter of hope blossom in his chest. He hoped it would snow today. A soft blanket of snow on his bedroom windowsill was always a welcome sight when he woke up in the mornings. It reminded him of being home back in Hatsetsu.

He took in a deep breath, feeling the almost minty air fill his lungs. He could almost smell his mother’s freshly made chai tea. It was something she always made when it was too cold to go outside. Yuuri didn’t like running and stretching in the snow, so he had taken those opportunities to revel in the kotatsu at home. He feels a soft sigh leave him, almost wistful. He can remember his warm legs, toes covered with fluffy socks and chest wrapped in his thickest wool sweater, fingers almost overwhelmed by the soft material. He recalls his mother padding in, a kind smile on her lips and sweet words coaxing him to wrap his fingers around the warm mug of fresh tea. She would watch him sip, reminding him to call for her whenever he wanted another cup. He would always smile, finish his mugful, and promptly nap on the kotatsu. Without a doubt, he would wake up with a blanket over his shoulders and a bowl of miso soup with another cup of tea in front of him.

The thought makes a soft smile come to his lips, warmth fluttering through him. He automatically takes in another deep inhale, letting that same hint of spice fill his lungs.

His feet come to a halt, pausing in the middle of the wet sidewalk. Yuuri furrows his brows slightly. The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg is still there. He raises his head, eyes blinking numerous times behind his glasses as he looks around. While it’s possible that someone could be making chai tea nearby, it smells exactly like his mother’s particular blend. He also knows that there’s no Starbucks nearby. He knows the smell of their chai syrup, and it’s too sweet to even be close to his mother’s tea. There also isn’t a privately owned café nearby either. The only one he knows is a few blocks down that is run by a friendly beta and omega couple. He knows they don’t sell chai tea, but only their own blend of spices to do it yourself. He had tried it at one point, but it wasn’t remotely close to what he was familiar with. Yuuri hadn’t been able to find anything close to his mother’s chai tea.

He couldn’t stand the idea of trying to replace his mother’s tea with something else. Nothing was close to the real thing. Not to mention, it made him homesick when he tried to.

Yuuri glances around again, only to take another deep breath. The spicy scent was weaker this time, as if it were fading and moving farther away from him. He pursed his lips, the child inside of him itching to know where the scent was coming from. His omega was pushing in his mind to follow it as well. He could feel his fingers twitching next to his chest.

Squeezing his fingers into his palms, his feet began to move again. He walked past a few family shops and apartment buildings before he was crossing the street instead of going down the alleyway that he took towards Minako’s dance studio. The scent was getting a little stronger. The nutmeg was soft, welcoming as it beckoned him forward. The unknown tension in his shoulders was fading, but that realization only made him tense up again. He didn’t know what this scent was leading him to. Yet he still knew that the strong pull in his stomach was too hard to ignore.

Crossing another street and getting onto the sidewalk, Yuuri looked around the brick buildings. He sniffed again. The scent was stronger now, this time laced with a citrusy undertone. He furrowed his cherub brows slightly. Orange blossoms? He couldn’t tell exactly, but it intertwined with the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg beautifully. The intoxicating smell beckoned him forward, closer. Tempting to find out what was giving off such a delectable smell.

Who was Yuuri to deny such a convincing plea?

He continued to follow the scent down the sidewalk, boots sliding against melting snow. He glanced back as he got further and further away from familiar territory. He should have felt fear or apprehension at the thought of being unable to find his way back. Yet, he didn’t feel anything close to that. The smell surrounded him and comforted him, reassuring him. It wasn’t going to lead him anywhere that would put him in danger or in harm’s way. His gut was screaming at him to trust it. He continued to pound the pavement with this thought in mind.

His feet began to slow, body moving at a much more leisurely pace than before. He found himself in a shopping area, decorated prettily with snow dusted trees and trimmed bushes coated in dew. Snow had been cleared from fashion tanned brick. Black light posts were decorated with bows and wrapped in tinsel in preparation for the holidays. There were quite a few people walking up and down the area. Arm in arm, pairs of strangers were walking with bags in their hands as they talked, not paying the overly curious omega any mind at all. They didn’t seem to be aware of the scent that had led him here. Yuuri felt a small frown tug at his mouth. Was he the only person who had noticed the smell? If he was, why did this smell have such a large effect on him? Was it because of the cardamom, or the sudden desire to know where it was coming from?

Yuuri moved his head to look over a group of friends positioned on a bench, one of them sitting on a brick planter. They were all bundled up, chattering away, and laughing all the while. They didn’t seem to notice. Why did he?

He pursed his lips again, moving his eyes away from the group. He lifted his head as he moved further into the shopping plaza. The scent was at its strongest now, as if he were finally closing in on whatever the source of that delicious smell was. He knew it was only a matter of time before he ended up finding it. He was already mentally preparing himself to stop himself from burying his face in whatever he could find.

Keeping that in mind, he kept the importance of his dancing practice at the forefront of his mind. He made a silent promise to himself to make a mental note of the source for later, take a glance, and then race off in the direction of Minako’s dance studio.

He looked down at his watch, counting the minutes he still had left. His lips moved as he counted, only for him to gasp as he slammed into something. He widened his eyes and pressed his hands out reflectively, feet skidding back. He looked up, getting an eyeful of broad shoulders and a black coat. Yuuri’s eyes widened impossibly wider.

“I’m so sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was go—”

The owner of the broad shoulders turned towards Yuuri, silver bangs fluttering away from the side of his face briefly. A pair of stunningly icy eyes met his chocolate ones, and the omega felt his breath catch in his throat.

“Are you alright?” the stranger asked, deep voice laced with a foreign accent. “You ran into me pretty hard there.” There was a kind smile on his heart shaped lips, pink and corners raised.

Yuuri’s eyes greedily took in the sight of his chiseled face, pale skin dusted pink, most likely from the cold weather. Sharp features, silver eyelashes, strong body, and a silky voice. Yuuri felt his breath caught in his throat, only for him to automatically take in a deep inhale to answer the handsome man. However, he found himself short of any words that could have possibly left his mouth.

This man had to be the source of the delicious smell that he had been following. There was no doubt about it. The smell of chai and citrus was significantly stronger now, albeit not as soft as Yuuri had anticipated. It was manly and strong. Welcoming, nonthreatening, and open. And suddenly very, _very_ alpha.

This incredibly handsome alpha had been the source of the smell that Yuuri had been stalking for the last few blocks. At that realization, Yuuri could feel the tips of his ears heat up, traveling onto his cheeks.

The stranger tilted his head to the side, hair sliding across a cheek as he did so. The smaller man hadn’t said anything. “Did you really run into me that hard? Are you okay?” the accented voice asked again, and Yuuri had to physically suppress himself from jumping six feet into the air and letting out a scream of embarrassment and shock.

“I-I’m okay!” Yuuri yelped a little too loudly, causing the man to blink at him in surprise. The blush on Yuuri’s cheeks deepened. “I’m okay,” he said again, voice more even and less high pitched.

At the affirmation, the silver-haired man visibly relaxed, offering the omega a gentle smile. “I’m glad to hear that. Make sure you pay attention to where you’re going, _da?_ A pretty thing like yourself could easily get yourself into situations you may not want to find yourself into if your attention span doesn’t hold up.”

Somehow, that felt like an insult and genuinely concerned advice at the same time. Yuuri brought a hand up to the back of his neck, nodding his head in agreement. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that,” he mumbled quietly, a little embarrassed by the good point he had mad.

The alpha tilted his head back up and crossed his arms over his broad chest, a quizzical look on his handsome features. “What had you so out of focus? It isn’t too often that I have someone run into me.” The expression on his face morphed into a teasing one, a hint of a grin on his lips.

Yuuri clicked his tongue, mouth almost twisting up into a pout at the light teasing. He didn’t think he could lie to that face, especially with the look he was giving him. He also hadn’t been a good liar when he was younger, either. This didn’t seem like ample time to improve his deception skills, either.

“I was… following something,” Yuuri admitted.

The stranger immediately looked piqued, gray eyebrow quirking up as he grinned. Those blue eyes quickly look up and down Yuuri’s body, as if taking him in. The man’s chest heaves a little, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly. A flash of recognition glazes over the alpha’s eyes, and he finally tilts his head back to the side.

“Would you like some help finding it?”

Yuuri blinked at the sudden offer, not expecting this man to just give the omega his services, his time. “What? No, no, I couldn’t possibly disturb—”

A hot flash strikes through Yuuri. He took a hesitant, slow look at the stranger and lets himself take a soft inhale of the scent surrounding him, comforting him, beckoning him, wanting him to take the leap and allow this attractive foreigner to help him with the predicament he’s found himself in. He smells too tantalizing to let him just go. Maybe, just maybe, if Yuuri can convince him to stick around, he can allow himself to learn more about the alpha.

Yuuri swallowed a bit nervously, shifting on his feet. “Would you? Help me?”

The man grinned. “Sure! If you’ll just allow me to finish what I’m doing here—”

“No!”

The alpha blinked a bit in surprise, shocked by the younger man’s sudden outburst.

“I—” Yuuri starts to say, cheeks aflame as he reaches over to grab at the coat material on the man’s wrists. It’s soft underneath his fingers, no doubt more expensive than his entire outfit. The man doesn’t attempt to take his hand off, however. He’s simply staring at him, waiting for him to finish what excuse he’s going to manage to come up with. “I’m sorry. It’s uh, kind of urgent. I’m… following a scent and it might fade,” the Japanese man confesses softly, although it’s only a half truth.

Glancing up at the taller man’s face, it seems to freeze for a moment, taking in the information the omega had just given him. Suddenly, as soon as his face had frozen, it melted, and his lips morphed into a coy grin. “A scent, you say?”

That grin makes the omega inside of Yuuri leap forward, taking control as his fingers move down to grasp at his hand. “Yes! So, I need you to follow my lead if you want to help!”

Yuuri can feel several pairs of eyes on him as heads turn to look at the sudden commotion between the small Japanese man and the tall, handsome model. He ignores the eyes on him, a strength he didn’t know he had making him tug the foreigner along, body turning and leading him forcefully down the brick walkway.

The man behind him isn’t fighting, but Yuuri’s ears catch giggles and laughs leaving that throat instead. The sound of that laughter makes Yuuri feel warm and his fingertips tingle.

“Wait, wait! _Malen’kiy,_ slow down!” the alpha laughed, deep voice ringing like church bells. It makes Yuuri’s heart flutter, tingles running up his body pleasantly. Yuuri can’t help but think that he wants to keep hearing that laughter, even if he must find some other way to keep it. His desperation to get to the dance studio has long been pushed into the back of his mind and he can’t stop the small feeling of want inside of him. He wants to get to know this alpha, to be surrounded by his scent, his voice, his broad body around him.

_Is this what it’s supposed to feel like?_

With a small swallow, Yuuri continued to pound the pavement until they made it to one of the small entrances of the shopping center. He stops, making a show of sniffing the air around them. The smell is just as intoxicating as it was the moment Yuuri realized where the smell was coming from. It makes him salivate slightly, fingers tightening around the large hand in his. The alpha next to him watches him expectantly, not saying anything as Yuuri looks around them.

“What does it smell like?” the man asks suddenly, and Yuuri has to stop himself from jumping again. The voice is curiously expectant, and Yuuri has more than a little urge to immediately give the stranger an answer.

“Um,” Yuuri starts, before he’s blushing and biting his lip. “It’s… it smells like my mother’s homemade chai tea,” he admits, looking up at the stranger with wide eyes.

The foreigner meets his eyes, searching them for a moment. It makes Yuuri a little nervous, but he can’t help but feel like the man understands him on some level. There’s no judgment in his gaze. They’re simply watching him, trying to understand him. It makes Yuuri feel expectant, hopeful that the Russian will eventually understand.

“Your mother’s tea?” the stranger hums, bringing up his free hand to rub at his chin. “Well, there’s a very good tea shop a few blocks down. Maybe that’s what you’ve been smelling? I’ve had their chai tea lattes a few times. They’re very good for weather like this,” the alpha suggests. The omega looks over at him, as if asking for more information. “They also sell personalized tea bags and mixtures like that. I could show you if you like?”

Yuuri’s head automatically nods, and the man beams. “ _Otilchno!_ It’s this way,” he purrs, tugging the smaller man along the sidewalk, large fingers tightening around dainty ones.

The Japanese man’s feet pick up the pace to keep up with the taller man, blinking as he’s led further into unfamiliar territory. He should feel apprehensive, scared where this unknown alpha might take him. Would he be taken advantage of? Would this man take advantage of his trusting nature and do as he please because he was an alpha? The thought made Yuuri feel a little warm under the collar, nervousness settling in his chest.

“What is your name?” the accented voice cuts through the silence, making Yuuri’s eyes jerk away from the brown buildings across the street. The man’s head turns towards him, patiently waiting for Yuuri’s mind to catch up with his words.

Would an alpha who was going to take advantage of him ask for his name? “My name is Yuuri,” he replies.

Another satisfied smile. “Aren’t you going to ask for my name?”

Yuuri sputters slightly, embarrassed blush coming to his cheeks. He glares slightly at the man. “What’s yours?”

“Victor. Victor Nikiforov,” Victor replies smoothly, giving Yuuri’s hand a squeeze and a slight sway in place of a polite handshake.

 _Victor._ Yuuri is almost tempted to let the name roll off his tongue, to say it aloud and to allow himself to savor the way it sounds coming from his own voice.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Yuuri. Regardless of the… odd circumstances,” Victor chuckles.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Yuuri responses quietly, feeling a little shy and a bit tingly.

It’s quiet as the couple continue to make their way down the sidewalk, footsteps synchronized. Yuuri continued to look around their surroundings, eyes taking in the unfamiliar part of the city. He’s never gone so far away from his home and the area around it. The only places he had ever gone to were his apartment, the dance studio, the grocery store, and a small café that he and Phichit had frequented. He had never gone out to get food from another places; he always ordered on his phone and got it delivered. He never went to any touristy types of places; Phichit had reassured him that there was nothing special in Detroit to do. He never went to any clubs or any sort of thing like that; he preferred to stay home and play video games or reading a book. He was a quiet person who only needed himself to be entertained.

Yet, Yuuri couldn’t help but realize that felt okay going this far away from his usual area. He snuck another glance at Victor, who seemed to be plenty focused on the sidewalk ahead of them. Victor knew where they were going, at least. If it got to the point where Yuuri was unsure of how to get back to where they had been, he would ask Victor to tell him where to go. If he was nice enough to guide him to the tea shop, then he would surely be kind enough to guide him back. Even if it had been Yuuri who had insisted on them finding the alleged source of this alluring smell that he had been following.

In actuality, the source of the scent was right next to him and holding onto his hand. Yuuri wasn’t sure if he could find himself in a more awkwardly good situation again.

He didn’t know how to bring it up. He wasn’t even sure if he _could_ bring it up at a moment like this.

They continued to walk down the Detroit streets, hand in hand, but remaining silent. Yuuri continued to glance up at the silver haired alpha, only to realize that he was doing the same. It made Yuuri feel warm inside, knowing that such a handsome man was sneaking glances at him just as he was. Although, the thought did cross his mind that Victor was simply looking at him because Yuuri was.

The thought wasn’t entirely reassuring, but it still made him a bit happy to realize that Victor was paying attention to him just as much as Yuuri was.

“Is there something on my face?” Victor suddenly asked, turning his head towards the younger omega. Yuuri’s head whipped over to look at Victor, small flush coming to his cheeks as he was finally called out about his consistent staring and glancing. Yuuri gulped.

“N-No, there’s nothing on your face.”

Victor chuckled a little. “If you have something to say, Yuuri, then you’re more than welcome to say it.”

Yuuri subconsciously bit at his lower lip. There was a question lingering on his mind, but he had no idea if he wanted to say it aloud. The possibility of offending a stranger he had just met was too high, and Yuuri couldn’t deal with the idea that he might offend the alpha. Alphas, at least in his home country, were extremely proud individuals and didn’t like their motives being questioned. There had been too many times that Yuuri had been a witness to alphas screaming at younger betas and omegas, raising their hands threateningly. Yuuri didn’t know if he could deal with such a situation, especially on a public street.

The Japanese man turned his head away.

“Yuuri?”

He snapped his head back up, blinking his doe eyes up at the alpha. “Y-Yes?”

The look on Victor’s face considerably softened, gloved fingers between his own loosening slightly. “Do I frighten you? Is that why you keep looking at me like that?” he asked quietly, eyes pulsing with anticipated heartbreak.

Yuuri’s eyes widened and he felt his stomach drop, heartbeat quickening in his chest at the small words, surprisingly sensitive and vulnerable. This was even worse, somehow. An angry alpha was scary, but somehow a genuinely upset and hurt alpha was worse. Perhaps it was because it was Victor, who seemed to be considerably different from every other alpha that Yuuri had had the displeasure of meeting in his life.

“No! No, you don’t scare me at all, Victor!” Yuuri replied hastily, hand quick to tighten around the loosening one.

Victor seemed surprised by the sudden passion in the omega’s voice, head dipping, bangs slightly shifting over his left eye. “I don’t?”

“No. You haven’t done anything to make me scared,” he admitted quietly, looking down at the sidewalk briefly. Their pace had slowed considerably now that they were talking. “You’re probably one of the most helpful people I’ve ever met since moving here.”

“Oh?” Victor couldn’t help but let his lips curl up slightly. The thought pleased him. “I take it that you aren’t a local, then. Are you a student?”

Yuuri hummed and lifted his head back up, this time meeting Victor’s eye. “Kind of. I came from Japan to pursue a dancing career. A friend of mine decided to move here and open a dance studio, so I followed her and became a full-time student of hers. I was actually on my way to her class today and got distracted.”

“Mm. Well, at least there’s another thing we seem to have in common.”

The omega blinked and looked up at Victor. “In common?”

Victor nodded his head, a teasing smile coming to his lips. “Well, two actually. I’m not from here either. I also happened to get distracted as well.”

Yuuri flushed. “I-I’m sorry for distracting you.”

A head shake. “I wasn’t complaining, _khorosho?_ I’m quite happy to be provided a distraction. Besides, I figure why not? I was hoping for a change in routine,” Victor grins happily, as if thrilled by the concept of venturing into unknown territory with a complete and unknown individual.

The man next to him couldn’t help but feel completely _confounded_ by the Russian man’s train of logic. Out of all things to look on the bright side of, Victor chose to look at it as a new experience, something to just take in stride. _What a weird guy._

“Ah, we’re here!” Victor exclaimed, venturing up to the door and quickly putting his hand on the notch, pulling it and looking to Yuuri. “You go on.” He motioned forward with his gloved hand towards the inside of the tea shop.

Yuuri blinked and glanced around, before he moved himself forward. With a small nod of thanks, he pressed himself into the tea shop, immediately overwhelmed with warmth and a cacophony of different and clashing scents. Cinnamons and cardamoms, warm smells, and gentle vanillas. Whistles of tea pots steaming, and the spine-tingling sounds of hot water being poured into ceramic mugs. The clacking of keyboard keys and quiet conversations. Baristas washing their hands and laughing quietly as they took breaks in between customers.

The walls painted in a soft gray, bookshelves lining the walls on one end. They were filled to the brim with different books, clearly bought from secondhand shops. Some were still in fairly pristine condition, while others had cracks on the spines and brown papers sticking out. A coffee table with various magazines sat between some soft looking couches and chairs, decorated with throw pillows, and covered with soft blankets. Plants that Yuuri was unsure if they were real or not rested in the corners, adding a little needed color to the mostly monochrome space. Looking to the other side of the space, there was a plush rug that was surrounded by shelving of different tea leaves and spices. Plastic bags and boxes rested on one side, along with spoons and different teacups and china sets.

Yuuri found himself walking over to the pick-and-choose area, eyes roaming over the different glass jars with scoops pressing out of the tops. Labels of every type were on each glass. Some already had premade tea mixtures prepared, with others were simply spices and other leaves to make your own custom blend. He blinked. He had never seen anything like this before, and Yuuri suddenly found himself a little eager to ask his mother for the blend that she made, so he could come back and make the blend for himself.

A sudden warm came up behind him, causing Yuuri to look up. Victor loomed over his shoulder, his own eyes roaming over the glasses of leaves and spices. “Is this what you’ve been smelling, Yuuri?”

The cinnamon and black tea leaves came back full force, nearly locking the breath out of Yuuri’s lungs and overwhelming the smorgasbord of other teas that were on the shelves in front of him. He swallowed. The orange blossom was also there, mixing along with the chai scent. It was making saliva gather in his mouth again. He had to swallow again.

“Yes,” Yuuri lied as smoothly as he could, quickly looking up at the chai mixture that was resting on the far left of the shelf.

Behind him, Victor smiled. “I’m glad that I could help you find what you were looking for! I was a bit scared that I was simply leading you to some place that wasn’t even close to what you were smelling,” the man chuckled, before tilting his head. “You have an impressive range of smell.”

“Thanks,” Yuuri murmured, before biting his lip. His heart was pounding in his chest again before a nervousness was settling in his stomach. As much as it surprised him, he still wanted to spend more time with Victor. The alpha was gentle and had taken time out of his day to help him, as much as Yuuri was sure that he hadn’t even needed the help in the first place. Quickly letting an idea come to his head, he turned to the silver-hair man. Victor looked at him expectantly, head tilted to the side slightly. “Victor…”

“Yes?” Victor asked, bright blue eye staring at him intently, making Yuuri’s heart stutter and squeeze painfully. _Does he know what kind of power he holds over me?_

“Um, I wanna thank you for helping me. Please let me buy you a cup of tea,” Yuuri said, eyes firm and suddenly overwhelmed with an uncharacteristic swell of confidence.

Victor blinked at the omega, before a bright smile that hadn’t graced the alpha’s face before took over his lips. A gentle amount of pink dusted Victor’s cheeks, and the smell around Yuuri seemed to warm up, as if comforted and happy about the sudden proposition. It made Yuuri feel warmer in the already cozy tea shop. “I would love to, Yuuri! _Spasibo!”_ Victor giggled, sending Yuuri’s heart into another stutter fest.

Yuuri could only nod, quickly turning his head to the glass jars of teas. “What would you like?” Yuuri asked, clearing his throat after a moment.

Victor stared at the glass jars longingly, thin eyebrows furrowed in concentration and thought as he contemplated what he wanted. A low hum rumbled through the alpha’s chest, eye narrowing before his expression changed completely, turning his attention towards the younger man. “Why don’t you pick for me? I would like to know what Yuuri likes.”

Yuuri was suddenly very sure that this alpha was going to kill him.

A deep blush came to his cheeks and he quickly turned his head, reaching up to grab two tea bags. He could feel eyes on him as he spooned some chai tea mixture into each bag, quickly closing them with deft fingers and turning back to the quiet Russian. “This one is my favorite.”

“Because of your mother, right?” Victor asked, voice laced with a bit of hesitation, as if afraid that he remembered the information from earlier incorrectly.

The omega nodded his head, giving him a small smile. “Yes. Because of my mom,” he grinned, quickly moving past the alpha to walk up to the counter. He could feel eyes on the back of his head as he approached the counter, placing the bags on the counter. He was quick to order himself a latte to be made with his own tea bag, then ordered a hot cup of chai tea for Victor. He could always ask him how he liked his tea later. That is, if he got to spend another time with Victor here. The thought made Yuuri shift on his feet.

The omega held out his credit card and paid, taking it back gratefully along with his receipt. He turned back and wandered over to Victor, who had taken a seat at one of the love seats in front of the coffee table. Yuuri carefully settled himself down next to him, putting his card back into his wallet and placing his backpack on the ground between their legs.

“Are you sure that I won’t be keeping you? I know you said you were on your way to your dance studio. Your friend won’t be mad at you?” Victor asked suddenly, blinking at Yuuri as he began to shed off his scarf and unbutton his coat.

Yuuri hummed a bit, settling back as he pulled off his own jacket. “I don’t think I’ll be too late. I usually leave for the studio pretty early, anyways,” he admitted, placing his jacket in his lap, and settling his hands onto it.

Victor nodded his head in understanding. “Well, that’s good. I didn’t want to be the reason you were late or got scolded by your friend.”

 _He’s surprisingly considerate. Even thought_ I _was the one who asked if I could buy him a cup of tea._

Running his fingers through his bangs, Yuuri shook his head. “Don’t worry about it too much. It’s only fair that I pay you back for helping me like you did.”

The words feel foreign in his mouth. He’s going further along with this lie than he’s meaning to, and Yuuri knows that he’s going to regret it later. He can’t just admit to that to Victor. He’s still a stranger, as much as Yuuri wants to wish that he wasn’t. He supposes that he’ll just have to remain patient.

A small chuckle leaves Victor. “You don’t have to pay me back. Really. I did it because I wanted to, not because I was anticipating a reward.”

“Still!” Yuuri clicks his tongue, lips curling down into a small pout. “Let me just pay you back. It’ll make me feel better if you just accept what I’m trying to do.”

Victor doesn’t respond right away, and Yuuri begins to think that the words that left his mouth were a little too forceful for someone that he had just made an acquaintance with. He’s ready to apologize, to take the words back and to ask if he can gently ask Victor to accept his gesture of thanks, rather than just demanding that he accept it. “Ah—”

A deep laugh suddenly rises out of the alpha’s throat, a grin coming to his lips. “Alright, alright. Whatever you say, Yuuri,” he murmurs, face turning to look at him completely. “Thank you.”

There’s that scent again. Warm and vulnerable. Tinged with happiness. It makes Yuuri’s inner omega feel satisfied, heart stuttering slightly in his chest. “Oh. You’re welcome.”

It’s quiet between them as one of the baristas approaches them, two cups resting on a small tray. She leans over, placing down a chai latte in front of Yuuri. She places a hot mug of chai in front of Victor, who both mutter a soft thank you as a result. Yuuri is quick to lean over and take his mug, gently blowing on the hot beverage and taking a sip from the ceramic rim. The warmth fills him, sliding down his throat and letting the warmth from the mug radiate onto his fingertips. The steam from the mug begins to caress his glasses, fogging them up and warming up the skin on his cheeks. He pulls back, letting the flavor overwhelm his tongue.

It tastes nothing like his mother’s blend. It’s not strong enough, nor is the strength of the tea enough either. There’s not enough milk in the latte either, and it’s certainly too hot. It’s not up to Yuuri’s standards at all, but it’s still decent. He takes another sip, smacking his lips together briefly before glancing at Victor. He’s gently sipping at his own cup of tea, and the way he stares intently into the mug, almost contemplating it.

“Do you like it?” Yuuri finds himself asking, blinking slightly as he holds his mug close to his chest. He hopes that Victor doesn’t, or at least not like it too much.

Victor hums slightly. “It’s alright. I prefer my tea cold, anyways. So, it’s just nice to have something different,” he murmurs, tongue flicking out to lick at his lips. “How’s yours? Is it anything like your mom’s tea?”

Yuuri has to stop himself from scoffing aloud. Instead, he just shakes his head and shrugs. “It smells like my mom’s tea a little. But it tastes nothing like what I’m used to,” he admits.

“Aww, that’s unfortunate,” Victor mumbles, leaning back into the cushions. Yuuri watches him silently. “I was hoping that you would like it. I was hoping I could ask you to bring you back here if you did.”

Those words take a moment to sink in, before Yuuri’s narrowing his eyes behind his glasses. He leans over, placing his mug on the coffee table. His heart is pounding again at those words, at the implication that Victor would like to take him here again. It makes him feel anticipation in his gut. But there’s also a wave of anxiety that rises in him because he hardly knows the alpha. He finds it almost strange to be anticipating the fact that he might ask for his phone number. Or some other way for the man to contact him.

“Well,” Yuuri says slowly, pursing his lips as he thinks of what to say. “I still like other kinds of tea…”

He gives him a sideways glance.

“So. I’d like to come back here and try other things that they have to offer…”

There’s another moment of silence, but the scent around him suddenly smells sweeter, excited, and overwhelmed with happiness. Yuuri blinks and turns his head fully towards Victor, who has an anticipating look on his face, lips curled up into a smile. He’s quick to nod his head. “Then, would it be alright if I asked for your phone number?” Victor’s voice is quiet as he asks, completely contrasting the look he has on his face.

Yuuri catches himself wanting to blurt out the affirmative, but he can do nothing but nod, digging his phone out of his pocket. He is quick to input the code, opening it up to the contacts screen and opening the new contact option. He hands it off to Victor, the alpha taking it from his fingers and moving to input his contact info. Victor hands it back after a moment, and Yuuri busies himself with sending off a text to Victor so that he has his contact info as well. The alpha smiles as his phone vibrates, adding Yuuri to his own contacts.

“I’ll be sure to text you to ask when it’s a good time for you,” Victor chuckles, before putting his phone away.

The omega smiles a bit. “I look forward to it.”

Victor’s opening his mouth to respond, only for Yuuri’s phone to start going off in the man’s hand. Yuuri blinks down at it, only to widen his eyes as Minako’s name pops up on the screen. He gasps, quickly sitting up. “Oh, crap. Uh, I think I’m about to get screamed at,” he sweats, turning his attention to Victor, who seems just as surprised as he does. “I’m… I should be free to talk this evening? If that’s okay?”

The alpha smiles and nods his head. “Sure. I’ll talk to you then, Yuuri.” He waves a little as the man hastily pulls on his jacket and grabs his bag. “Don’t get killed by your teacher, okay?”

“No promises,” Yuuri quips, giving him a small smirk as he stands, making his way towards the front door. He tosses Victor one last glance, only to see Victor’s eyes following him.

“Talk to you later, Yuuri.”

Yuuri slips himself out the door hastily, suddenly hit in the face with a cold breeze.

He suddenly finds himself excited to get home.


End file.
